The Press: Oversight

Meier & Frank, a 14-story, block-square department store in Portland,
Ore., is the biggest in the Pacific Northwest. It is also easily the
biggest advertiser (10% of the linage) in Portland's two daily
newspapers, the morning Oregonian (circ. 213,135) and the evening
Oregon Journal (circ. 195,351).

Last week, in his monthly Oregon Democrat (circ. 2,500), Democratic
National Committeeman Monroe Sweetland accused the two Portland dailies
of suppressing news about their biggest advertiser. An A.F.L. union had
accused store officials of unfair labor practices. Hearings on the
charges had been held for eight days last month, but, wrote Monroe
Sweetland, "Not one news...